FLOOD09853

• County: Denver
• Community: Denver
• Stream Name: South Platte River
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Effects of the May 5-6, 1973 Storm in the Greater Denver Area
• Date: 12/31/1973
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: USGS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

CONTENTS

Abstract................ ...... ........... .___.n'..n....__....... .n....__......
Introduction..n__.........__...___.____.....______...__.__.....
Purpose of the report.m.m.___.m...___......
Place names.....___...____ ..... ................n.............. _.__un
Acknowledgments ..n...._......_m..... _m...'__n _.u.'_ .....n
I nundation........_n............n...u . ....--_. _n""___" ...- .....n.......
Overwhelming of artificial drainage systems
Problems with canals and ditches....__......
Geologic effects of the storm.........___.___....................----

Page
1 Geologic effects of the storm - Continued
1 Scour ......_._.._n....................._n.__....__.............._.......---
2 Sedimentation....__.....___....__.__.... ..-.. _m ....m.m......u_.
2 Mass wastage.m._.m........___._._._.._...._._.___.m._...........
2 Slumps and earthflows...._.....__........m.....__._..
4 M udflows......_..... ....00..._._...._00.... ...-...........-----.-.
4 Rockfalls............._...._....._......_..__._..... ............-..
4 Toward coping with future stormsu...._______...m___mm.
6 References cited............._......_.......__........_m.__...___.._.._m.

ILLUSTRATIONS

.,

FIGURE 1. Location map of the Greater Denver area_....._...____........m___..____m...hU..__............._u__m.m....m....m.....____...
2-10. Photographs:
2. Flooding at East Jefferson Avenue and South Emerson Street, Englewood..____....................
3. Flooding at Kennys Gulch at 21st and Ford Streets, Goldenmm_m........._....._m....mum_..u..____
4. Highline Canal flooding across Bible Park........um__......m.......... ..m..........m...n..m._.._m___..........
5. View of 15th Street Bridge shortly after collapse_....m............m_..........___...__um.........m__..........
6. Severe bank scour by Bear Creek......__._........_..u....._.......__.........._._._........_.......-....-........-.............-.
7. Scour by 1\.:lount Vernon Creek_m....____m.....m....____m_....._____._........_......____m__....m...__...._m.............
8. Scour by West Creek_......._..n......____._............__......__.__......u_..........__uu.._......un..._uu.........__..............
9. South Platte River just west of Brighton_......._.m....._._.__........_m_._..................m._..m.............-----
10. Overbank sediments deposited along McIntyre Gulch at Holland Street_m..._.....m........___.m.
11. Block diagram illustrating form and nomenclature of a landslide...mm......um__.._mm.....m..........mu....
12. Block diagrams shewing landslide types common in the western part of the Greater Denver area
13-19. Photographs:
13. Debris-mudfiow blocking Hogback Road, 1 mile north of Morrison.._______........_m...___.m_m..
14. Landslide in Denver Formation on old Colorado Highway 58...._..........._m._....um.........._......_
15. Debris slide on eastbound exit ramp of Interstate 70 at Genessee Mountain.............__......__.
16. Small slump on Boulder County road 2 miles west of Jefferson County AirporL_..m..........
17. Slurnp-earthflow on State Highway 121 about three-fourths mile south of Broomfield
interchange......._....._..........._...u_...._._......_._........_..._......._...._.......u.........._._.._.....__.........__n...........
18. Rockfall on Interstate 70. 2 miles west of Bergen Park interchange m__m...._ .............m......
19. Gullying on a steep hillside previously denuded of vegetation and topsoiL............_mm.__.....

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